World's Hairiest Girl Is a Role Model for All

While no one would wish the fate of Supatra Sasuphan on anyone, we can all only hope to instill her courage, confidence, and resilience in our children. Sasuphan, 11, is known as the "Werewolf Kid" and holds the Guinness World Recordfor being the hairiest girl in the world.

She suffers from a rare but devastating illness called Ambras Syndrome that causes excessive hair growth. The pictures are fascinating, but it's heartbreaking to think of a young girl having to go to school and through life with all the looks, comments, and teasing that having a body and face covered in hair surely brings. Sasuphan, however, has bravely fought against bullying and even come to embrace her condition.

There were a few people who used to tease me and call me monkey face but they don’t do it any more. I’m very used to this condition. I can’t feel the hair as it has always been like this. I don’t feel anything. It does sometimes make it difficult to see when it gets long. I hope I will be cured one day.

She says rather than drawing more unwanted attention to her, getting the Guinness record has actually made her more popular:

I'm very happy to be in the Guinness World Records! A lot of people have to do a lot to get in, all I did was answer a few questions and then they gave it to me.

Despite laser hair treatments, and other attempts, the hair keeps growing, but it doesn't prevent Sasuphan from living her life to the fullest. Her mother told the paper:

She gets along with others really well and is very generous. She has a lot of friends. She is just the same as any other little girl her age.

Her story is so inspiring because for all the complaining and moaning we do about problems that feel crippling, people like Sasuphan are out there not letting their major ones get in the way. All children have burdens to bare -- some heavier than others -- but it's how we teach them to deal with them that makes them stronger and better people. Resilience is one of the most important qualities we can instill in our children -- and try to cultivate in ourselves -- because we never know what hand life is going to deal us and when it's going to be dealt.

Sasuphan is a true role model for everyone young and old, and I hope one day they find her a cure so she doesn't have to fight quite so hard.